Tag Archives: short story

She wouldn’t have noticed him on any other day, but today they were the only two in the park. She had been about to leave, wary of the cold metal bench pressing into her legs, but his flax-colored hair caught her eye… And her heart. Her breath caught in her throat. It was as ifContinue reading “Isolation in the Park”

She felt the words she hadn’t meant to say drip from her lips like blood. Each one was as heavy as lead and scented like a decaying corpse. He recoiled as if physically repulsed, and she wished she could recoil from herself. She had gone too far and, once spoken, the words could never fullyContinue reading “Hurtful Words”

I wander the beach in thoughtful solitude, allowing the sand and waves to pull my world-weariness through the soles of my feet. I had invited you to come, but you chose to stay in bed. I don’t mind. You have your spiritual practice… I have mine. Later we might take a walk in the city,Continue reading “Side by Side”

She reaches out to take the offered dollar and our eyes meet for the first time. In them I see a jaded wisdom, far beyond the age her small frame carries. My years of privilege crack and fall away, piling like dust at my feet. I’m embarrassed to be standing in it, even as IContinue reading “Equals”

She spent all of her days trying to measure up. She had to be the best student, the fastest runner and the prettiest girl in school. When she grew up and graduated, she fought to be the best in her field. She hit the gym daily to stay young and trim and made sure toContinue reading “Holding on to Good Enough”

Cara steeled herself for the pain she knew would come when he opened his mouth. He was about to reject her. She had been expecting it from the beginning. Their whirlwind romance was marred by her insecurities and fears. She couldn’t forgive him for loving her. There must be something wrong with him. His flawsContinue reading “Ultimatum”

Rain drips from the budding trees in a steady rythym, creating circular ripples on the surface of the puddles below. Squirrels dash across the lawn, seeking shelter in each tree. The wind ebbs and flows, and an old woman rocks and waits. Cars pass in a never-ending parade of errands and earning but the woman’sContinue reading “Rythym of Life”

Blood pounded in her ears as she reached the elevator and punched the call button repeatedly. It was all a fucking lie. The last three years of her life were nothing but a fucking lie. “Lisa!” “C’mon, c’mon,” she told the elevator, attempting to ignore his pursuit. “Lisa, wait!” “Fuck you, Brad!” She punched theContinue reading “Goodbye to the Lies”

Memories of him were lodged in her mind, like bits of shrapnel. Sometimes one would spontaneously work its way to the surface, leaving her bleeding and pained. She wished her trauma would stay buried deep within. Reliving the pain again and again was asking too much of her broken, fragile heart.

The winding, dusty roads stretched out before her, as she stood wracked with indecision. It was fully dark and she would be expected at home. The familiar road beckoned with welcoming warmth and comfort, but the other road… She felt his heart calling through the trees, like a physical tether drawing them closer and closer.Continue reading “Roads”